Tunneling and excavating machine.



O. H. BONNETT. TUNNELING AND BXGAVATING MACHINE.

APPLIOATIQN FILED OUT. 22,- 1913.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914-.

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G. H. BONNETT. TUNNELING AND EXOAVATING MACHINE. APPLICATION I'ILED,00T-.22,1913.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

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' TUNNELING AND EXOAVATING MACHINE.

APP LIOATION FILED 00T.22, 1913. 1,093,603. Patented Apr. 21, 1914 v v 3SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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UNITED s'rArEs PATENT ore-ion.

CHARLES H. BONNETT, OF PORT HURON, MICHIGAN.

TUNNELING AND EXGAVATING MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CI-IARLns H. BoNNE'rT, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, residing at Port Huron, in the county of St. Clairand State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Tunneling and Excavating Machines, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a tunneling and excavating machine-especiallydesigned for digging tunnels, sewers, conduits and other subterraneanpassage.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a novel machine thatcan be expeditiously advanced for economically excavating and removingdirt from the point of operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine of the abovetype embodying a novel rotary cutter that can be easily and quicklyadjusted for removing desired quantities of earth. I

The invention in its broadest aspect involves positive and reliablemeans, as hereinafter set forth, for advancing and maintaining a rotarycutter in engagement with the earth, the cutter having a radialadjustment whereby an opening of a desired diameter can be worked. Tothis end, I have devised a machine embodying a plurality of structuralelements which when combined, provide a durable, easily adjusted andquickly operated machine for producing subterranean passages that can beused for various purposes.

The principal elements of the invention namely, a main frame and braces,a feed screw and one of its bearing supports, a rotary adjustablecutter, a conveyer, together with the operating mechanism for saidconveyer and the rotary'cutter, will be hereinafter separately andspecifically described in detail, together with the novel arrangementand objects accomplished by such a combination of elements.

The preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings but it must be understood that the same aresusceptible to such changes, as in the size, shape and manner ofassemblage,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. October 22, 1913.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

Serial No. 796,554.

without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine, partlybroken away and partly in section; Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan of aportion of the rotary cutter; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same;Fig. 4: is a horizontal sectional view of a portion of the machine; Fig.5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line XX of Fig. 1, looking inthe direction of the arrows of said figures. Fig. 6 is a side elevationof a machine illustrating a modification of the invent-ion, and Fig. 7is an end view of the same.

The greater part of my machine is constructed of strong and durablestructural steel and consists of parts that are easily assembled toprovide a rigid perfectly balanced machine for rapidly excavating withthe requisite degree ofsafety to the workmen or attendants of themachine.

Considering now the principal elements of the invention, reference willbe had to the main frame and braces.

The main frame comprises a sill or foundation 1 provided with uprights 2and 3. Suitably mounted in the upper ends of the uprights 2 and 3 arehand operated jacks 4 adapted to engage a roof timber 5 and securelyanchor the uprights 2 and 3 between the fioor and roof of a subterraneanentry or working 6. The sides of the uprights 2 and 3 have socket 7 orconnections for angularly disposed braces 8, which have the upper endsthereof provided with jacks 9 retaining timbers 10 against the roof ofthe.

entry 6.

Adjacent to the upright 2 is an additional upright 11 cooperating withthe uprights 2 and 3 in supporting a horizontal platform 12. Thisplatform supports the operative mechanism for the rotary cutter andconveyer of the machine, and said mechanism will be hereinafterconsidered in detail.

The feed screw and one of its bearing supports.at the forward end of themachine is arranged a semi-circular channel frame 13 and connectingdiametrically, opposed sides of said frame, adjacent to the endsthereof, is a transverse support 14, preferably made of an invertedchannel bar. The support '14: intermediate the ends thereof has ing adriven shaft 40.

a bearing 15 longitudinally alining with bearings 16'and 17 carried bythe uprights 2 and 3 respectively. J ournaled in these bearings is afeed screw 18 having the forward end thereof provided with alongitudinal groove adapted to receive a spline or key, and the rear endof said screw has threads 19 for a nut 20, said nut being rotatedthrough the medium of radially disposed handles 21.

Arranged upon the forward end of the feed screw 18 and engaging the rearsides of the bearing 15 is a spacer sleeve 22 that positions a largegear wheel 23 upon the feed screw relatively to the channel frame 13 andthe platform 12. The larger gear wheel 23 has a spline or key engagingin the groove of the feed screw whereby said gear wheel and said feedscrew will revolve in unison and permit of the feed screw being adjustedlongitudinally of the large gear wheel.

The semi-circular channel frame 13 and the support 14 constitute abearing support that cooperates with the main frame and its braces inproviding a rigid structure for supporting the driven elements of themachine.

The rotary adjustable eutte'r.Mounted upon the forward end of thefeedscrew 18 is a cross head 25 and adjustably mounted upon said crosshead is a bitholder 26 having an opening 27 to receive the end of saidcross head. The bit-holder 26 has a trans verse opening 28 to receivethe shank 29 of a bit or cutter 30. The bit or cutter is channel shapedand engages a side wall of the holder 26, whereby itis braced during itscutting action. The shank 29 of the bit is retained within the opening28 by a set screw 31 or other fastening means.

The bit holder 26 is provided with apertured lugs 32 and pivotallymounted between said lugs by a transverse pin 33 is the outer end of arack bar 34. The inner end of the rack bar 34 extends through a housing35 riveted or otherwise secured to the cross head 25, and journaled insaid housing is a guide roller 36 and a pinion 37, the shaft of saidpinion having a crank 38 whereby the pinion can be revolved to move therack bar 34 in a desired direction through the housing 35 and therebyshift the bit holder 26 longitudinally of the cross head 25.

The o01weg er.EXtending rearwardly from the uprights 3 are brackets 39support- The shaft 40 has a roll 41 and trained over this roll is an endless apron or conveyer 42 that is also trained over rolls 43 and 44. Theformer is revolubly supported at the base of the bearing frame 13 andthe latter is revolubly supported by the uprights 3. The apron 42 isadapted to receive material cut by the bit 30 and conveys the materialto the rear end of the machine from where it can be convenientlyremoved.

I he operative mechanism for the conreg 0r and the rotary cutter.Locatedupon the platform 12 is an internal combustion engine 45 or other sourceof power for revolving a shaft 46, j ournaled in bearings 47, carried bythe platform 12. One end of the shaft 46 has a small gear wheel 48meshing with the large gear wheel 23. The opposite end of the shaft 46has a bevel gear wheel 49 meshing with a similar wheel 50 mounted uponthe shaft 51, journaled in a bearing 52 carried by the )latform 12. Theshaft 51 has a belt wheel for a belt 53 that extends downwardly under abelt wheel 54 mounted upon an end of the shaft 40 of the conveyer.

Arranged upon the shaft 46 are clutches 55 and 56, the formercontrolling the operation of the conveyor 42 and the latter controllingthe operating of the feed screw 18. The clutches 55 and 56 are of theordinary and well known type common to various types of machines.

Before considering the modification shown in Figs. 6 and 7 it is thoughtbest to consider the operation of the preferred machine illustrated inFigs. 1 to 5 inclusive.

Operating under ordinary conditions only a few workmen are required tomanipulate the machine and advance the same as the work progresses inthe working 6. Before starting the machine, the bit holder 26 is placedcentrally of the machine, that is, at a point intermediate the ends ofthe cross head 25. The end wall of the working 6 is preferably providedwith a small recess to receive the bit 30 and then the machine can beplaced in operation by starting the engine 45 and throwing in theclutches 55 and 56. After the rotary cutter has made one completerevolution, the rack bar 34- can be adjusted to shift the bit holder 26outwardly upon the cross head 25, whereby the bit 30 thereof, during thenext revolution of the rotary cutter will remove material and therebyincrease the diameter of the original recess. By repeatedly adjustingthe rack bar 34-, the original end walls of the working 6 is removed andduring this time the material has been conveyed to the rear end of themachine by the apron 42.

After the described diameter of the working 6 has been reached, the bitholder is returned to its normal position centrally of the machine. Thenut 20 is then rotated to advance the feed screw 18, whereby the bit ofthe rotary cutter will obtain a fresh hold upon the end wall of theworking 6 and proceed in the manner just described to remove said endwall. After the feed screw 18 has been advanced as far as possible it isrestored to its normal position and the machine bodily moved forward andanchored in the working, whereby additional operations can be carriedon.

Reference will now be had to Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings, illustratinga modified form of machine. The working 6 is provided with a temporaryroad bed 57 for the rails 58 of a track. Movable upon the rails 58 ofthe track are trucks 59 supporting a rectangular frame work 60. Theforward end of the frame work 60 has a bracket 61 provided with abearing 62 alining with bearings 63 carried by the frame work. Thebearings 62 and 63 support a revoluble feed screw 64 similar in allrespects to the feed screw 18 of the preferred form of construction. Thefeed screw 64, besides having the adjusting nut 65, has a large gearwheel 66 meshing with a small gear wheel 67 mounted upon the armatureshaft of an electric motor 68, carried by the frame Work 60. The motor68 is of the conventional form and can be driven from a suitable sourceof electrical energy located interiorly or exteriorly of the working 6.

The forward end of the feed screw 64 has a cross head 69 and adjustablymounted upon said. cross head are pluralities of bit holders 70 havingbits 71. The bit holders 70 are equally spaced upon the cross head 69whereby the bits 71 thereof will tend to produce concentric angularkerfs or grooves, the formation of which crumbles and disintegrates theend walls of the working 6, whereby the feed screw 64 can becontinuously or intermittently advanced.

During the operation of the machine the trucks 59 are blocked oranchored relatively to the track and the sides of the frame work 60 arebraced relatively to the walls of the working by angularly disposedbraces 7 2 constructed similar to the braces 8 of the preferred form ofmachine.

As fast as the excavating is accomplished, the walls of the working arelined, as at 73, said lining providing a smooth and uninterruptedconduit that can be used for various purposes.

What I claim is c- 1. In a tunneling and excavating machine, a mainframe, a revoluble feed screw carried thereby, a rotary adjustablecutter carried by said feed screw, a semi-circular bearing support forsaid cutter and means carried by said main frame work for revolving saidfeed screw and the cutter thereof.

2. In a tunneling and excavating machine, a main frame, a revoluble feedscrew carried thereby, a rotary adjustable cutter carried by-said feedscrew, a semi-circular bearing support for said cutter means carried bysaid main frame work for revolving said feed screw and the cutterthereof, and means carried by said feed screw for adjusting the samerelatively to said main frame.

3. An excavating machine comprising a bearing frame, a feed screwcarried thereby, a cross head carried by said feed screw, a bit holderadjustably mounted upon said cross head, means carried by said crosshead for manually adjusting said bit holder and means in proximity tosaid frame for imparting movement to said feed screw.

4. An excavating machine comprising a movable frame, a revoluble drivenfeed screw supported thereby, a cross head carried by said feed screw,bit holders adjustable upon said cross head, means carried by said crosshead for manually adjusting said bit holder, means supported by saidframe for revolving said feed screw, and means carried by said feedscrew for adjusting the same relatively to said frame.

5. In a tunneling and excavating machine, a main frame, a bearingsupport, a feed screw revolubly supported by said frame and saidsupport, a rotary cutter supported by said feed screw and adapted to bemanually adjusted radially thereto, and means carried by said main framefor imparting movement to said feed screw.

6. In a tunneling and excavating machine, a portable frame, a feed screwadjustably and revolubly supported thereby, a cross head carried by saidfeed screw, a bit holder supported by said cross head and adapted to bemanually adjusted relatively to said feed screw, means carried by saidframe and adapted to operate said cutter.

7 In an excavating machine, a rotary cutter, said cutter comprising across head, a bit holder slidable thereon, and means including a rackand pinion adapted to be manually operated for-shifting said bit holderlongitudinally of said cross head.

8. In a tunneling and excavating machine, a main frame, a rotary cutterat the forward end thereof, comprising a cross head, a bit holderslidable upon said cross head, manually operated means for shifting saidbit holder longitudinally of said cross head, means carried by saidframe adapted to rotate said cutter, and means at said frame forlongitudinally adjusting said rotary cutter relatively to said frame' 9.In a tunneling and excavating machine, a bearing frame, a semi-circularbearing support, a feed screw revolubly and adjustably supported by saidframe and support, a cross head carried by said feed screw, a bit holderslidable upon said cross head, means including a rack and pinion forshifting said bit holder longitudinally of said cross head, and meansadapted to operate said feed screw.

10. In a tunneling machine, a main frame, a bearing support independentof said frame, a driven feed screw arranged longitudinally of said frameand said support and adapted to be adjusted longitudinally thereof, across head carried by said feed 5 screw, and bit holders arranged uponsaid cross head and adapted to be manually adjusted.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES H. BONNETT.

\Vitnesses OTTO F. BARTI-IEL, ANNA M. Donn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

